CockADoodleDoo Posted November 25, 2007 Share Posted November 25, 2007 i was wandering if i could put 2 bantams in with 4 hens in a 4 metre by 2 metre run? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puffball Posted November 25, 2007 Share Posted November 25, 2007 I would keep them together for a day and assess it and, unless they were being really...evil...? then I would try it out for a while. When Puffball first met the others they were bullies to her but she gets along much better now and they only have occasional pecking order squabbles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janty Posted November 25, 2007 Share Posted November 25, 2007 My big girls stripped the feathers from my bantams head and back. We have had to keep them separate. It did give me an excuse to get more bantams to keep the original one company though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CatsCube Posted November 26, 2007 Share Posted November 26, 2007 Mone all get on great, in fact one of my banties is second from the top in the pecking order and bosses the other around all the time! I think it depends om the temeraments of the birds your getting, some of the biggest are also the softest! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyBoo Posted November 26, 2007 Share Posted November 26, 2007 I'm so pleased to read this post as we've just got 4 bantams which we are fostering but probably long term who we're hoping to integrate with our big girls! At the minute their side by side, one in an ark and one in a cube, hopefully by the weekend we'll start trying a bit of free ranging together see how they get on. Mrs Bertie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bondinho Posted November 26, 2007 Share Posted November 26, 2007 My two bantams are 1st and 2nd in pecking order, with the bluebelle well and truly bottom! Although when free ranging she will stand up to them for about 4 seconds then run away like a crazy fool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted November 26, 2007 Share Posted November 26, 2007 It can be done Bondinho, but to be honest, I've heard more horror stories than successes. Personally, I wouldn't do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bondinho Posted November 27, 2007 Share Posted November 27, 2007 I think if you got them all at the same time then you wouldn't have a problem anyway, and as said above it depends alot on the personality of the chickens. You can only try and see what happens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyBoo Posted November 27, 2007 Share Posted November 27, 2007 I spoke to a chicken friend of mine yesterday about this (my friends are now categorised - she comes under chicken! ) She bought two silkies and said she just "threw them in with some youngsters and her big hens" and let them get on with it . Slightly dubious about that but anyway, still gonna give ours a go this weekend! Mrs B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted November 27, 2007 Share Posted November 27, 2007 It's definitely worth a try Mrs B - plenty of space for them to escape if needs be, plus seperate accomodation if it doesn't work out. Here's hoping it does go well for you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dancing Gal Posted November 27, 2007 Share Posted November 27, 2007 oooh I hope they will be okay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeckyBoo Posted November 27, 2007 Share Posted November 27, 2007 Sorry, just to be clear, I'm going to let them out with the big girls this weekend, not put them in to sleep!! I'll let them out on their own on Saturday then hopefully let them out together Sunday, might just let a couple of the big girls out with them to start with, see what reaction we get. I doubt they'll all be in together properly for a while yet! Anyway, just to say that they're fine, but compared to my big girls they're real sleepy heads! They surface eventually about 8am and they're already tucked up in bed!! Mine are out scavenging til they can't see in front of their noses!! But they're very cute and they make the cutest noises, like a cat purring Mrs B Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shirl Posted November 27, 2007 Share Posted November 27, 2007 I've got my ex batts in with my bantams and they're fine. I know ex batts are genrally more friendly and docile than other breeds though. The intros were really easy for me. All the bantams but one have given the batts a wide berth. The top chook (bantam) has given the batts a couple of pecks and as they didn't retaliaite I think she decided they could stay Could be very different putting new bantams in with established big girls though. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
